Revenge of the Cetra
by Schemergirl
Summary: Aeris scores a victory against Sephiroth in the Lifestream... much to his chagrin. Oneshot.


Disclaimer: Don't own.

A/N: Short and sweet one-shot in which Aeris gets back at Sephiroth in the done-to-death Lifestream scenario. Slight Sephiroth/Aeris. Post-game, pre-AC.

**Revenge of the Cetra**

Sephiroth was starting to tire of the Lifestream. It was too bright, for one, and besides the occasional visits by the consciousness of a certain annoying Cetra, he was pretty much left alone.

He was content with his solitude- he always did prefer his own company- but when one is alone, one tends to think. And when one tends to think when in Sephiroth's situation, one runs the risk of getting maudlin.

Luckily for him, his mind was too busy pursuing different tracks of thought than that of the self-pitying persuasion. Sephiroth was spending all his moments of waking consciousness as of late trying to find a way to get back to the world of the living- as dramatic as that sounded.

He didn't have Jenova's voice in his head to guide him this time; he refused to be a puppet like that pathetic teenager with the ridiculous name and hairstyle. But Jenova _cells_… maybe they could contribute to his Second Advent?

He was just wondering as to how he could take advantage of his- and indeed, others'- Jenova cells, when _she _decided to drop in. He groaned.

"What do you want?"

"Just wanted to say hi…" came her irritatingly sweet voice, which was surely comforting to others, but everything about her grated on his nerves. Especially that voice.

"Your dear Planet wants you to keep an eye on me, doesn't it," Sephiroth stated bluntly. He turned away from the pink flower lady. He didn't like being patronized, especially by her, of all people.

Aeris smiled. He was as stubborn as ever, she observed. "Yes," she said.

Ever since she'd been absorbed into the Lifestream, Aeris had taken to protecting the Planet from threats- inner ones. Collectively, 'spawn of Jenova', as the Planet called it. Namely, Sephiroth.

"You do know that I know you're planning something?" Aerith asked, "I can feel it."

"Hn."

"Well?"

Sephiroth was starting to lose his cool demeanour. He turned to face the Ancient. "What's your point, Cetra? Why do you talk to me at all? You'd think that killing you would make you steer clear of me!"

"Ooooh, the General thirsts for knowledge, as usual!" Aeris giggled.

"Answer me!"

"Alright, but remember, _you _asked…" she pointed out mock-exasperatedly.

"Get on with it!"

"The thing is, Sephiroth, I pity you."

"What!"

"Let me finish. I knew under what conditions I was going to die ever since the Planet could talk to me. It was rather a burden at first, of course. But eventually I realised that it was destined to be so, and so I forgive you. Nobody can change destiny, for it is the Planet's will."

"That's it?" Sephiroth smirked, "Destiny? There is no such thing; only good or bad choice. Destiny is an illusion and a scapegoat used by fools."

Aeris sighed. "If that's what you think. _Now _can I finish? I pity you-"

"-Not that again-"

"-I pity you because while you _are _very intelligent, on facts and such, you are partially sighted on anything spiritual that does not concern Jenova, and you are totally blind to the emotions of others."

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at this. "Better to be blind than to be a sentimentalist fool. I would rather have knowledge over feelings."

"But don't you see?" Aeris inquired, moving closer. "You are just as much of a 'sentimentalist fool' as anyone else."

"…"

"You're just a really good actor!" Aeris pressed.

Sephiroth refused to be intimidated. As if things like tone of voice and body language can intimidate me, he thought.

"Cetra," he started explaining impatiently, "Sentimentalists are people who are slaves to their emotions, and therefore cry a lot. Like you. Unlike me."

"You've judged me, haven't you?" Aeris smiled. "Only gods are granted the right to judge… and we both know that you have failed…"

"Wretch," Sephiroth growled.

"Hm, speaking of which… _you _cry, and are a 'slave' to your emotions, as you say, just like those 'sentimentalists' you hold so much contempt for…"

"I do no such thing," Sephiroth said flatly.

Aeris grinned mischievously, and with that delivered the punchline. "Maybe you hate 'sentimentalists' so much to camouflage yourself as being one? Yes, you cry when you _think _nobody's watching."

"Wha- never! I do _not _cry! That's- I _don't_."

Sephiroth was visibly trying to come up with something more articulate than the above.

"Alright, so something got in your eye. Yes, you _do _have quite long lashes, I'm _sure-_"

"I don't ever cry! And I'm proud of it! And even if anyone thinks otherwise, I know the truth!"

Aeris's smirk gave way to laughter. "You're such a child," she said, and as Sephiroth noticed their extremely close proximity to each other, blushed, and took a step backwards, added, "Yes… definitely just a lost little boy!"

"Say that again…" Sephiroth said venomously, trying to regain lost dignity as Aeris laughed.

"You're-just-a-lost-little-boy," Aeris repeated, gasping for breath. "What are you going to do, kill me?" she said, regarding Sephiroth's death glare, and broke into fresh peals of laughter.

Sephiroth fought back a smile. Her laughter was infectious. "Leave me to my scheming, Cetra."

"What ever you say, O Hallowed One!"

"Don't push your luck, Ancient."

With a mocking smile and wave, as well as a promise of return, Aeris's consciousness disappeared back into the Lifestream.

Sephiroth, resisting the _tiny smidgen_ (as he classified it) of respect for the Cetra which he felt was beginning to rise, went back to plotting his grand return. As usual, failure never once crossed his mind in regard to possible outcomes.

There was but one difference in how he spent his time in the Lifestream now: he found himself keenly awaiting the flower girl's 'interruptions'.

_Just so I can even the score_, he would tell himself, _no other reason at all._

And with that thought, Sephiroth went back to plotting the Planet's demise.


End file.
